Game apparatus



' Feb-13, 19%.

v l1,444,772 c. E. BEDAUX GAME APPARATUS Filled sept: s, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 Il nl 1,444,772 C. E. BEDAUX GAME APPARATUS Filed vsepe. 8,'1921 l 2 sheets-sheet.. E

Patented Feb. 13, i923).

al 'r e oni/rn APPARATUS.

Application filed September 8, 1921'. Serial No. 499,166.

T 0 all whom it may ccmcerm Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BnDAUx, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specication.

The present invention relates to game apparatus; and its object is to provide apparatus whereby a game simulating horse racing and the like may be played.

This object is attained by, and the invention nds preferable embodiment in, the apparatus hereinafter particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of the principal member of my game apparatus, shown in horizontal section on planes corresponding `to line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a view of the sama-"shown in vertical section on a plane corresponding to line 2 2 of Figure 1, the projector being shown in position ready to operate and its operating springs being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Figure 3 is a view of a portion of the same; l

Figure 4 is a View in perspective of said principal member, its c-losure being open;

l Figure 5 is a view in perspective of said member positioned on a playing board Vand Figure 6 is a view, much enlarged, of one of the playing pieces.

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration by the drawings and for detailed description in the body of this specification, the principal member 1 of my game apparatus has a base 2, top and side walls 3, 1, and floor 35, forming a container 5 with an opening 6 in front which may be closed and opened by a closure, a pair of which 7, 7 are shown hingedly mounted at 8, 8 and having springs 9, 9 pressing them to the open position shown in Figures 4 and 5 and indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.` rlfhis principal member 1 has also a projector, which in the construction shown comprises a portion 10 (which in the position seen in Figure 2 completes the rear wall L1 of the container), a cross bar 11 in which is threaded the screw 12 journalled at 13 on the body of member 1, and projector-operating springs 36 pressing the portion 10 and the cross bar 11 from each other. This portion 10 has a keeper 14, which,'when thefportion 10 is moved backward against the pressure of the springs 36, engages and is releasably held by retaining means,-the catch 15 'ony the lever 16 fulcrumed at 17. The portion 10 isl guided in its forward and :backward movements by its handles 18 extending through guide slots 19 in the opposite walls of 'the container, 'which handles are grasped by hand to move the portion 10 backward into the holding en'- gagement of the catch 15. The portion 10 and cross bar 11 are guided in their interrelative movement by the rods 2001i the portion 10 telescoping inthe hollow cylinders 21 on the cross bar. The crossbars movement is guided by the rods 22ca-rried by the body of memberl and vsliding insuitable guide orifices 23 in thef cross, bar. The limit of expansion of the springs 36 is gov-r4 erned by turning the handle or knob 24 of the screw 12 which thus moves the cross bar 11 nearer to or furtherfrom the furthest forward position of the member 10, said position being fixed by the .ends 25 ofthe slots 19. i The closures 7, 7 are held in closed position against the pressure of their springs 9, 9 by a catch 26 on the lever 27, said catch engaging and holding the upper" edge-s of the closures. This lever 2 7, fulcrumed at 28, is connected by a link 29 to the lever 16, softhat when the lever 16 is movedI by its handle portion 30S to release the keeper 111-, the closures 7 7 are releasedfrom the catch 26; but soonerthan the keeper 14 of the portion 10 is released from the catch 15.

Suitable playing pieces, 31, distinguishingly marked, which may assume the form of horses and riders as shown in Figure 6, are

placed in the container, and the closures 7 7 being closed, are shaken in the container as dice in a dice box. The member 1 is then placed base downward on a level surface, as in a marked position on the board 32; where-- upon the handle 30 being pressed, the closures are permitted to fly open and the playing pieces are ejected from the container simultaneously and are thus projected to various positions on the board 32, such relative positions being readily estimated by the marked lines 33 which cross the board at right angles to the line of projection of the playing pieces, viz, the direction of eXpansion of the springs 36. The playing pieces are desirably weighted at their bases 3T so that when at rest they may assume an upright position.

Itv Will be understood that7 inasmuch as the playing pieces are loosely contained in the container and are shaken` When the closures are shut, their relative position on the .fioor of the container cannot be seen by the players. This fact, Which affects the distance to Which the playing pieces may be projected by the projector on the board 32, affords the element 'of pure chance in guessing how farv the playing pieces will be projected fromthe container. Then the handle 30 has been pressed far enough to release merely the closures 7, 7 the position of the playing pieces on the licor of the container may no-W be seen andthe players may modify or change their guesses, because although the position of the playing pieces on the containers floor determinesto some extent the' container than any other, that piece (the Winning piece) is marked on the record of the game5 to 1; thefpla-ying piece (the place piece) projected next furthest is markedf to l and the playing piece (the show piece) projected next furthest is markedfQ to l lon the record of the game, provided` the player has guessed. his piece to attain such position. And if any playing piece guessed to be the place or the show piece is projectedfurther, it is to be marked place7 or show' piece nevertheless on the record of the game.

The invention being` intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction of tbe particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or hereinbefore described.

l claim:

l. ln game apparatus; a container having an opening and a closure therefor; which When closed conceals from View the hereinafter mentioned playing pieces in the container; a spring pressing the closure to open position; means for retaining the closure in closed position and for releasing the same; a projector Vhaving an operating sprinO; means for retaining the proj ectors spring in compressed position and for releasing the same; and operable in connection with and subsequently to the releasing operation of the means for retainingthe' closure in closed position; playing pieces adapted to be loosely contained in the container in its closures closed position and to be ejected therefrom by the projector in the open position of lits closure. f

2. ln game apparatus; a container having an opening and a closure therefor which When closed conceals from View the hereinafter mentioned playing pieces in the container; a spring pressing the closure to open position; means for retaining the closure in closed position and for releasing the same; means for retaining the projectors spring in compressed position and for releasing the same; playingl pieces adapted to be loosely contained inthe container in its closures closed position and to be ejected therefrom by the projector in the open position of its closure.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES E. BEDAUX. 

